Dear Friends in Christ,
July 1 is the feast day of St. Junípero Serra, the Franciscan priest who established missions in California, beginning in San Diego.
Canonized in 2015, he was nonetheless vilified by recent critics who claim he mistreated native peoples.
It’s always a tricky business to apply 21st-century standards to 18th-century figures. Cultures change, and what can seem acceptable in one generation might appall a later one.
That isn’t a plug for moral relativism. Rather, it’s a reminder that historical figures need to be viewed in context. The Church certainly did that in the case of Junípero Serra and found his life to be exemplary.
Amid countless challenges, including physical ailments, he managed to build missions whose churches stand to this day.
He, like all saints, should prompt us to ask: What are we doing to build the Church?
Pope Leo, in a recent video message to his native Chicago, assured young people that they can be beacons of hope.
That is a message all of us can take to heart. The Holy Spirit desires to enkindle love and faith and hope in countless souls, but he wants the collaboration of those of us who are already blessed in so many ways.
Signs are growing of a new interest in religion. After years of pandemics and wars and social media nastiness, many people, including the young, are searching for something more humane, more fulfilling — and finding that religion has something to offer, after all.
A religious revival of sorts could be on the horizon. Now is the time for us to pitch in. For a dose of inspiration, our Retreat Guide on St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (Sitting in the Side Pew) might help.
St. Elizabeth, like St. Junípero, accompanies us in the here and now to help us follow their footsteps.
In Christ,
Father Edward McIlmail, LC
Ask a Priest contributor
